Liver Toxicity Halts Tango's Solid Tumor Drug Development

Tango Therapeutics has announced the termination of its development program for the USP1 inhibitor, TNG348, following reports of liver toxicities in trial participants. This decision comes just a few months after the commencement of a Phase I/II clinical trial targeting solid tumors.

The clinical trial focused on patients with BRCA1/2 mutations and other homologous recombination-deficient cancers. The first participant was dosed with TNG348 in January. However, during the trial, patients who continued the treatment for over eight weeks exhibited grade 3/4 liver function abnormalities.

Barbara Weber, CEO of Tango Therapeutics, emphasized the company's commitment to patient safety in her statement. "Patient safety is always our first priority and based on emerging data from the TNG348 dose escalation study, we have made the decision to discontinue further development of this molecule due to liver toxicity experienced by patients in the trial," Weber said.

TNG348 was initially in-licensed from Medivir in 2020. Under the agreement, Medivir was entitled to receive development and commercial milestone payments, as well as royalties. Despite this setback, Tango Therapeutics continues to advance its remaining portfolio, which includes three clinical assets currently in Phase I/II studies for cancer treatment.

The company's ongoing projects involve two PRMT5 inhibitors, TNG908 and TNG462, along with TNG260, a highly selective CoREST complex inhibitor. These molecules are part of Tango’s broader strategy to develop targeted therapies for cancer patients with specific genetic vulnerabilities.

In summary, Tango Therapeutics has decided to halt the development of its USP1 inhibitor, TNG348, due to observed liver toxicities in trial participants. The commitment to patient safety remains paramount, leading to this difficult yet necessary decision. The company will continue to focus on its other clinical candidates in the oncology space.